It's almost July, I fear the economy & cost of oil will

Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:10 pm

.... put a damper on the whole 2008 airshow season, I wonder how many warbird owners are going to "sit this year" out? I wonder how Oshkosh, Reno, Midland, etc. are really going to fare this year, I've seen the lists of warbirds proposing to show at various airshows ... but the price of gas is getting worse everyday. I wonder how many are having second thoughts about traveling any distances and just thinking about staying local?

On the bright side, I don't remember a year when there has been so many new and wonderful restorations taking to the skies.

Of you folks who own a warbird, or warbirds, what do you think this year is going to "put you back" further than last year?

Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:17 pm

I have been to 4 airshows so far this year, all have higher attendance because people are not leaving town & can stay for the show. FYI.
I will do my usual/normal airshow appearances......
VL

Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:21 pm

vlado wrote:I have been to 4 airshows so far this year, all have higher attendance because people are not leaving town & can stay for the show. FYI.
I will do my usual/normal airshow appearances......
VL

We all know that Vlado parked Moonbeam for so long since maintenance is so much cheaper than actually flying. :wink:

Ask Jimmy about March of 05.
Rich

Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:26 pm

a few extra bucks is not going to bother you.

Tue Jun 24, 2008 9:37 pm

I'm hoping that it means that a couple of aircraft that don't use too much gas, are relatively cheap to maintain, and have a ground crew that's happy to talk with the general public about a relatively unknown part of the WWII will get some ramp space - even if they're just fillers.

It looks like we may be at Lackland this year. It probably only takes 2-3 gallons to get there! I wish we could go take the L-5 to WOH since I may be driving out there otherwise. It wouldn't hurt my wallet that much more (than driving) and the time would be worth it.

Ryan

Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:00 pm

I have been to 4 airshows so far this year, all have higher attendance because people are not leaving town & can stay for the show. FYI.
I will do my usual/normal airshow appearances......

What is your usual/normal appearances? .... Very interesting to know where and how far you usually go each year ... :lol:

Also I don't really know you vlado. Are you an owner?, ... pilot for an owner? ... hope you don't mind me asking. And I wonder if I have seen you fly somewhere. ... Best wishes and a safe season for you as well.

Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:16 pm

Hellcat wrote:Also I don't really know you vlado. Are you an owner?, ... pilot for an owner? ... hope you don't mind me asking. And I wonder if I have seen you fly somewhere. ... Best wishes and a safe season for you as well.

Better check this first. :wink:

http://www.airshowbuzz.com/videos/view.php?v=1c7831b0

Tue Jun 24, 2008 10:25 pm

Yep!!! .... got it .... thought so ..... very nice indeed ...

Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:13 am

Hellcat........yes to both questions. I don't get out west at all, unfortunately.
Thx,
VL

Wed Jun 25, 2008 7:42 am

It looks like the Moonlight Fund airshow in New Braunfels is off this year... unless some sponsors come through in a major way. :cry:

. I missed it last year and was really hoping to go this year. Seems that corporate sponsorships are down.

Ryan

Last edited by RyanShort1 on Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:03 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:39 am

Hellcat,

The oil thing is not putting me back and I'm flying as much as I have in previous years, even flying more air shows. The airshow budgets are clearly squeezed but that just means their marketing folks gotta work harder with sponsors. Vlado and I just did the Quad Cities Iowa Air Show and the air boss estimated they had 100,000 for the weekend attendance. IMHO it's cheap entertainment for a family vs the cost of gas and driving a few hundred miles to Wally World for a weekend.

Wed Jun 25, 2008 10:07 am

It has been widely reported that local events like airshows are benefiting from people curtailing long-distance travel in favor of "staycations" and a few of the smarter ones are even advertising with various forget-the-Mouse campaigns to remind people you don't need to go to Orlando for a good time.

Oshkosh may be hurt, since it draws attendees from all over the continent. Normal airshows should do fine.

They can't count on it, though, so they probably will cut back on invited aircraft. This year's swollen crowds won't really notice a missing warbird or three, anyway.

Two shows in particular, Thunder and Geneseo, seem to continue to be willing to write the checks for fuel this year, based on their posted rosters. Kudos to them. I predict they will be rewarded with very good attendance. I'll be spending about $400 in gas and accommodations to go to Geneseo this year, my first time.

August

Wed Jun 25, 2008 2:42 pm

vlado wrote: I don't get out west at all, unfortunately.
Thx,
VL

Why is that vlado? Is it strictly due to the cost to fly so far, or are there other reasons?

Wed Jun 25, 2008 5:58 pm

I've said it before and i'll say it again. As long as the pilots are willing to show up i'm more than happy to go see them and their planes. Is it getting expensive? You bet, but it's my passion and it's gonna be hard to keep me from going to the shows.

Wed Jun 25, 2008 6:36 pm

Man, I remember when auto gas busted $1 in the early 1990s and I was forced to take some empty drums in a friend's pickup to the gas station to buy gas for my Stearman because avgas was getting so expensive. Some things never change I guess!

It's almost July, I fear the economy & cost of oil will

It's almost July, I fear the economy & cost of oil will

if you have a warbird...